Mixto at all times confirmed coach Doug O’Neill that he had capability, however the 4-year-old colt had by no means put it collectively sufficient to face within the winner’s circle greater than as soon as in 13 tries. O’Neill’s endless optimism incessantly pays off, nonetheless, and when Mixto drew the skin submit within the $1 million Pacific Basic Stakes (G1) at Del Mar, the coach knew he owed the colt a shot.
“This horse was at all times knocking on the door,” stated O’Neill. “He usually likes being on the skin of horses.”
The 1 1/4-mile Pacific Basic misplaced its morning-line favourite when the mare Adare Manor tied up barely after a gallop a pair days earlier than the race. San Diego Handicap (G2) winner Dr. Venkman inherited the favourite’s mantle, and longshots blew the race broad open from the second the gate opened.
Full Serrano , making solely his second United States begin after successful a stakes in his native Argentina, shot to the early lead and valiantly tried to steal the race. He comes from the barn of coach John Sadler, who had received 4 of the final six Pacific Classics, together with with the superb Flightline in 2022. So Full Serrano, the fifth alternative and a 2 1/4-length winner of his U.S. debut, would not have been a whole shock.
Mixto would, although, provided that he was nonetheless eligible for a non-winners of two and was the second-longest shot of the eight-horse discipline at 22-1. He sat behind Full Serrano in second beneath Kyle Frey, who earlier on the cardboard captured the Del Mar Handicap (G2T) with Gold Phoenix .
Dr. Venkman raced simply in third, theoretically situated in an ideal place to select up the items when Full Serrano and Mixto packed it in. However neither one did. They held their positions via each turns and into the stretch, when Mixto drew alongside Full Serrano and defeated that runner by a half-length in 2:02.10. Reincarnate handed Dr. Venkman to take third by two lengths.
“The unique plan was for me to go to the entrance,” stated Frey. “However within the paddock I requested Doug, ‘If someone goes loopy in there, are you okay with me taking a maintain?’ He stated positive so he was okay with Plan A and Plan B.”
Plan B labored when Mixto “got here working for me,” stated Frey, resulting in the most important day within the jockey’s profession.
Calumet Farm owns Mixto, having bought him for $140,000 on the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale of 2-Yr-Olds in Coaching. Although Mixto had solely received one race, he completed second within the Dec. 26 San Antonio Stakes (G2) and third within the Jan. 27 San Pasqual Stakes (G2) and April 20 Californian Stakes (G3), all at Santa Anita Park. He had most lately run second to Lammas within the July 7 Pleasanton Mile Stakes.
Mixto earned a berth to the Breeders’ Cup Basic (G1) via the Pacific Basic, which is a part of the Breeders’ Cup Problem Sequence.
O’Neill was successful his second Pacific Basic, following Lava Man in 2006.
Kip and Suzanne Knelman’s Farfellow Farms bred Mixto in Kentucky from the Concerto mare Musical Thriller . The Knelmans reside in Paris, Ky., and Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., and an excited Kip was within the winner’s circle after the Pacific Basic.
“My spouse noticed Musical Thriller working in a low claiming race various years in the past at Gulfstream,” Kip stated in explaining how they got here to breed Mixto. “The pedigree was impeccable. So we claimed her and we have been breeding her for various years.”
Kip stated that Suzanne additionally chooses the stallions, and so they went to Good Magic to get Mixto. Kip stated that they’ve a full brother in E-book 3 of the upcoming Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Mixto and Pacific Basic third Reincarnate are by Good Magic, who can be the sire of this 12 months’s Belmont Stakes (G1) and Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Dornoch , Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Muth , and Matt Winn Stakes (G3) winner Society Man . Champion 2-year-old male of 2017 and a son of two-time Horse of the Yr Curlin , Good Magic stood for a 2024 stud charge of $125,000 at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms close to Paris, Ky.